Hydraulic bearing for sugar mills and the like



July N), 1923. 1L4L135 G. c. MITCHELL HYDRAULIC BEAHIiS IG FOR SUGAR MILLS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 25. 1920 lu-" 45474@45@o EH!" I I "ITJ fil 23 49 22 4/ I 3g 55 I 2/ 20 6'6 6/ E7 6/ Q9 57 E5 Flgnle I I V /3 Patented July 10, 1923.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUY MITCHELL, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVEN, OWENS, RENT- SCHLER COMPANY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

HYDRAULIC BEARING FOR SUGAR MILLS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 25, 1920. Serial No. 419,550.

T all whom it may. concern:

. Be it known that I, GUY C. MITCHELL,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Bearings for Sugar Mills and the like, of which the following is a full, .clear, and exactdescription; j This invention relates to hydraulic pressure gear for mill rolls, andmore particularly to hydraulic pressure regulating mechanism adapted for use in connection with mills for expressing juice from sugar cane.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide pressure regulating mechanism a'dapted'to permit variation in the distance separating thesurfaces of the rolls to allow varying thicknesses of material to pass between: them. while still maintaining constant the pressure on the material.

Another object of .the invention is toprovide an improved construction which lends itself to ease "of assembly, simplicity in operation and inexpensive maintenance.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description set out below when taken in connection-with theaccompanying drawing.

In the drawing, in lwhichlike characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views thereof, i

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the upper partof a rollhousing embodying the invention; and i Fig. 2 is a plan view of shown in Fig. 1.

For purposes of description this invention is shown in connection with a roll constituting the upper roll of a sugar mill, and since sugar mills ofthis type are wellknown only so much of themill structure is illustrated as is necessary for showing the construction andoperation of the pressure regulator forming the subject of this invention. l v

In the drawing, 10 designates the upper portion of the mill housing. This housing the apparatus supports a lower bearing, member 11 having a lining 12 of any suitable ..mate rial. Co-

operating with the lower bearing member is an upper bearing memberlg, the roll shaft 14 being jou-rnaled between said bearing members.

Mounted upon the upper end of the housing 10 isthe top cap 20 which is held in properly assembled position upon the housing by means of king bolts 21, the lower ends of which are suitably attached to the housing, and the upper ends, which pass through ported plates 22 cooperating with the top cap 20, are threaded. Suitable nuts 23 are threadedly mounted on the upper ends of these bolts, for drawing the top cap tightly upon the roll housing.

The top cap 20 has centrally formed therein a cylinder aperture which has a lower zone 25 and an upper zone 26 of greater diameter than the lower zone; the cylinder aperture, because of these two zones of different diameter, having a shoulder 27 substantially midway of its length. Preferably the lower zone 25 is provided with a removable lining 28, of suitable material, which may be readily replaced if excessive wear occurs during operation of the device. When such a lining is used its upper end preferably terminates in such position as to constitute in effect a part, or continuation, of the shoulder 27 Adjacent its lower end the lower zone 25 is provided with an' inturned shoulder 29. Mounted within the lower zone 25 is a lower plunger 35, the lower part of the plunger. extending through the aperture defined by the shoulder 29 and bearing against a toe plate 36 which in turn bears against the pressure plate 37. The pressure plate 37 cooperates with the upper bearing member 13, a gasket 38 preferably being interposed between these members. The lower plunger has a shoulder thereon adapted to cooperate with the shoulder 29 to limit movement of the plunger toward the pressure member; that is, its movement in one direction is limited, thus preventing the exerting of excessive pressure on the bearing members.

,lVithin the cylinder aperture is an upper plunger 40, said plungerhaving its lower part adapted for location within the lower zone 25. and its upper part adapted for location within the upper zone 26, the plunger being thus provided, in effect, with a shoulder 41 adapted to cooperate with the shoulder 27 to limit movement of the plunger in a downward direction.

Carried by the wall of the upper zone of the cylinder aperture are a plurality of spacedloclring lugs 45, the diameteraof the passage between opposinglugs being greater than the greatest diameter of the lower-plunger 85, the upper plunger 40 and the lining member 28, to permit of ready insertion, or removal of these parts from the cylinder aperture. Mounted within the upper zone 26 is a cross-block 16 having a plurality of lugs 47, carried thereby, which lugs are adapted, when the cross-block is in one-position, to pass through the spaces between the locking lugs 45, andwhen turned into another'position to cooperate with the lower faces of the locking lugs to limit movementof the upper plunger l0 against movement in the other direction, that is awayfrom the shoulder 27.

Opening into the cylinder aperture, between the upper and lower plungers is a pipe through which any desired pressure fluid is introduced. The opposing 'facesofthe upperand lower plungers, that is the faces which are subjected 'to the pressure fluid, are providedeach with a suitable packing'55, which packingis preferably in the form of a cup leather. Associated with ejacli' packing is a follower plate 56, each platebeing adapted tohold its cooperating pacl'ring in position, when the device is assembled; A spring 57 is located between the two follower plates, and holds these plates, with their cooperating packin'gs against the'plungers. This-construction obviates the use-of bolts, and corresponding holes in the packings, for holding these packings in position;

A cover-plate 60 is-provided, which closes the upper end of the cylinder aperture. Threaded openings, designated generally by the numeral 61, are providedin the various removable parts-of the apparatus for receiving a' suitable tool, to facilitate handling of these parts.

As stated above, this pressure regulating mechanismis adapted to permit movement of the roll carried upon the roll shaft 14, relative to its cooperating roll or rolls, in order to allow passage of a varying quantity of material between these rolls, while maintai'ning constant thepressure exerted upon that material. The device, is therefor, so arranged that movement ofthe lower plunger .85 toward the upper bearing member 13 is limited, although movement of this plunger in the opposite direction cantake place if it is subj'ectedto a pressure greater than exists within the cylinder aperture between The. pressures used in actual practice will vary" within quite wide limits according to the- '-c'haracterofmaterial passing between the rolls, and also according to' the size of the two plun'gers. through the pipe 50.

rolls. -When sugar cane is being crushed the general practice 1s to exert upon the cane shoulder 29.

as it passes between the rolls, pressures varying from one. hundred; and fseventy-five to five hundred tons.

This pressure fluid forces the upper plunger 4-0 against the cross-blockletfi, and forces the lower plunger 35 against the stop As material passes between the roll, the upper rollwillbe lifted, carrying with it the upper bearing member 13,

thepressure plate 37 and the toe plate 36 into contact with the end of the lower plunger 35. If more material-passes between the rolls, thus tending to spread them apart,

further movement of 'the roll can-take place without any increase in :pressure above that existing within the cylinder aperture;

While the form of apparatus herein shownand described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood thatrotherformsof embodiment might be a.dopted,.all coming within the scope of the claims which' follow.

What I claim is: 1. Inadevi'c'e of thecharacter described, a top cap having an aperture therein constitutinga cylinder, an inturnedishoulderin the. lower "end'ofr said cylinder, locking lugs 1n the upperend or said cylinder, a, lower plunger adapted for positioningawithin said cylinder, means thereon adaptedito cooperate with said inturned: shoulder to limit; moveturned shoulder within the lowerzone; loch-- ing lugs within the vupper zone; a plunger within the lower zone, a shoulder: thereon adapted to cooperate 'withy-said: inturned shoulder to limittmovement thereof; an upper plunger. within. said upper zone; a shoulder'on' said uppen plunger, means within: the cylinder, cooperating with the shoulder on saidupper plunger, for limiting movement ofwsaid upper plungerr in; one direction; across-bloclrwithinthe: upper zone,

lugs thereon adapted to cooperatewith said locking lugs to hold said cross-block; within saidr upper zone,-,-said crossrblock being adapted to. limit movement ofothe; upper plunger; in the other directiongj and: meansfonadmitting ressureifluiditdsaid cylinder between the p ungers-i 3. In a'device ofthe characterdescribed, a top cap having an aperture extending therethroughand constituting a cylinder, said cylinder comprising a lower zone, and an upper zone of greater diameter than said lower zone; a lining within said lower zone, the upper end of said lining constituting a shoulder within the cylinder; locking lugs within the upper zone, the elfective opening between said lugs being greater than the diameter of the lower zone and of the upper plunger; a plunger within the lower zone, a shoulder thereon adapted to cooperate with said inturned shoulder to limit movement of said plunger in one direction; an upper plunger within said upper zone, a shoulder thereon adapted to cooperate with the upper end of the lining within said lower zone, to limit movement of said upper plunger in one direction; a cross-block within the upper zone, lugs thereon adapted to cooperate with the locking lugs in the upper zone to hold said cross-block within said upper zone to limit movement of the upper plunger in the other direction; and means for admitting pressure fluid to said cylinder aperture between the plunger.

4:. In a device of the character described, a top cap having an aperture extending therethrough constituting a cylinder, 0pposed plungers Within said cylinder; packing members associated With the adjacent faces of the opposed plungers; a follower plate cooperating with each packing member; and a spring between the follower plates adapted to urge said plates to hold each of the acking members cooperating therewith against its associated plunger; the construction being such that each packing member is held in position without the use of bolts and corresponding holes within the packing.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

GUY G. MITCHELL. 

